Surprised Me
by laurenzohendo
Summary: From the Legend Series by Marie Lu and set after the events of Champion. Anden is walking along a deserted beach when he meets a girl named Charlotte, fresh from a midnight swim. First fanfic. I just wanted to write an ending for Anden in which he finds love. Will upload their next meeting as well.


It is just past midnight. The night is warm, but pleasant and I begin to loosen my tie, welcoming some sense of relief after a day full of meetings. Still dressed in my proper attire, I undo my jacket and then the top two buttons on my crisp shirt. Finally, as a gentle breeze drifts past me, I don't feel so suffocated and stifled. I roll my shoulders and neck, trying to break the stiffness I have suffered all day. This regality comes natural to me now, at 29 years old, but it still feels good to walk by the ocean on nights like this and try to relax my racing mind.

The water is calm and gently rocks against the sand. I close in on a wooden dock that extends out to sea, and walk down the platform below that is just a foot above the water. I take off my shoes and socks, roll up my pants and sit on the edge, submerging my ankles in the cool water.

It is only then that I notice a towel and some clothes, bundled together on the other side of the platform. I look around at the open water but see no one around.

I think about the week I've had and stress my advisors have been putting on me. It seems that they've been fixated on my need to marry and find a good wife as of late. Of course, after June I have been on a few dates, mostly with women within politics, all beautiful and smart and charismatic, but ultimately, I refuse to be with someone I feel only hints of affection to. I have been talked to time and time again about seeking a wife, going out on more dates with women my advisors suggest, but lately I have been refusing there help. So much of my life has to be controlled - my schedule, my clothes, my words, my actions. And I promised myself that if I do marry, it will be because I love her unconditionally.

Maybe she will be a Senator, like my advisors hope, or maybe a waitress. It doesn't matter as long as we want to be together. When I am away from the immediate stress of being the Elector and allow myself to think about what future I have outside of politics, I find myself scared that I won't find her. My advisors may be pushing for a marriage soon, and although I'd never show them I agree, I do hope that I will find someone soon. For my sake, not theirs.

I hear a splash or two come from near the ladder that leads into the water and just as I whip my head around to see who it might be, a pair of hands grab onto the rails and someone starts to climb their way up.

I immediately want to stand up. It's odd for the public to see me so relaxed and out of my normal element, but as soon as I begin to move she lets out a high pitched squeak, like I've scared her.

"Sorry!" I say, "My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you"

"Jesus" she exclaims, clutching her chest. "It's fine, just surprised me"

We look at each other properly now, my eyes on her face as she is still standing there in her bikini. She is small and has her bright red hair piled on top of her head, keeping it dry. It's messy with all its curls and has strands coming out in several places. Her eyes are bright and green, her lips in a tentative smile. This expression changes though as she must recognize who I am. Truthfully, I wish she wouldn't. Sometimes it's nice to be unknown, and I could talk to her like we're meeting for the first time. But, I'm sure she's seen me across JumboTrons throughout the Republic. Her eyes widen and she finally grabs her towel from the ground and wraps it around her.

I chuckle softly at her apparent embarrassment.

"Um, so sorry Elector" she says, "Wow, this is not how normal people imagine meeting the Republic leader" she mutters almost to herself.

I give her a smile, trying to put her at ease. "Perfectly alright" I say. "I look a but unruly myself". I scrape a hand through my hair, trying to tame it back down from its messy look.

"No, no, you look fine." she assures me, her eyes scanning up and down my body. She averts her eyes down to her bag and starts to grab her things in a hurry and begins to walk away, but I have the urge to talk to her. I can't deny that she is gorgeous, and in this moment, looks a lot different than other women I am usually around. It's refreshing to see someone without a suit, or their hair pulled back in a perfectly pinned ponytail. Of course there is something to admire in that too, but right now I'm surprised at how good it feels to see something different.

"Why were you out swimming at this hour?" I ask her, making her stop mid stride, still in her towel.

Her eyes are wide as she looks at me, surprised.

"Oh, um, it's just so hot in my apartment, because I have no air conditioning, and living right across from the water always makes it so tempting" she says, with a smile, like she hopes I won't find her crazy.

I smile back at her. "Mm, you're right. It does sound tempting"

"Yeah, you should try it sometime"

I walk a little close to her, hoping to encourage her more. I don't want to end our conversation yet.

"I'm gonna put my clothes on, it's getting weird standing around in my bikini whilst talking to the Elector" she mumbles.

I watch for a quick second as she fumbles with one hand still on her towel and the other manoeuvring her top. She lets out a frustrated sigh and drops the towel completely to properly put on her clothes. I avert my eyes this time.

Once she's done I hold out my hand to her. "Anden" I say.

"Charlotte" she replies and takes my hand.

"So," she continues. "You just take walks out here at midnight? With no bodyguards?"

"No, they're around, I just ask them to keep out of sight. But yes, right now my mind is too wired from working all day that I come out here to try and relax."

"Huh" she answers. "I've probably seen you around here before, I've just never noticed that it was, you know, _you_"

I smile at her. "Do you want to walk along with me?" I say, gesturing the long strip of dock.

"Sure"

We walk up the steps in silence, brushing our arms together as we go. I hear her take a breath, like she's trying to calm herself.

"So, what do you do for work?" I ask

"I'm a teacher at a high school." she replies. "What about you?"

I look over to see her smiling at me.

"Good one" I reply, smiling back.

And so we walk along the sand whilst she tells me about herself. I'm content to listen to her sweet voice and only interrupt to ask more questions.

"What about your family?" I ask.

She pauses only slightly before answering. "Well, my Mum and Dad died in a car crash when I was just a baby. So, I was in orphanages when I was younger. And then on the streets for a few years when I was older. I never got placed into foster care or anything like that"

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." I reply. "About your parents."

"Yeah, it was hard was when I was younger. But I guess I turned out okay." she says on a laugh.

"You seem fine to me"

"And now I have two dogs, Scruffs and Sam. I found them both roaming the streets, and they followed me home one day, and well, they're just too cute to not keep." she says.

"I hope you didn't steal anyones lost dogs" I reply playfully.

"I hope I didn't either, but they didn't have collars and looked like they hadn't bathed in forever. Do you have any pets? Do they let you keep pets where you live?"

"I do have a cat, actually. I'm not sure if my advisors like having her around, she hates having them around, but one day I just went out to a pet store and bought a kitten home, and they couldn't do much about it."

My earpiece chimes as an incoming call comes in. One of my representatives advises me to come back home, as it's unsafe to be walking around this time of night, and I have an early day ahead of me tomorrow. I sigh, but thank him anyway and let him know I will be returning soon.

I turn to Charlotte to let her know I'll have to go soon.

"Maybe I could walk you to your apartment?" I ask.

"Sure, yes, it's just ahead."

I start to think that this is why I can't become involved with anyone. There's no time to date, and whoo a girl when there will be someone in my ear telling me when to leave and what I should be doing. Sure, my advisors want me to marry soon, but they don't think about what exactly that entails.

Suddenly we're at her apartment building and I sigh that I'll have to leave and go back to my own home soon.

"Well, it was fantastic meeting you... Anden" she says.

"You too, it was lovely to spend the night with you, if only for a short time" I reply.

She smiles at me and I can't help but think that under the moonlight, with her messy hair and fresh face, that she is the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long time.

We're silent for a moment, and her smile fades just a touch as she says goodbye and turns to her door.

A million things race through my mind at this moment. That I like her, that she wouldn't want to have the responsibility of dating an Elector, that she might like me too, that I wouldn't know where to start seriously dating anyone with a job like mine.

But still, on a puff of breath, I ask her for her number.

She turns around surprised, but smiling, and nods her head without saying anything. When we finally exchange information, we're standing closer together than before. I bend my head to brush a light kiss across her cheek and she smiles shyly before we turn away.

I walk to the waiting car and slide in next to the bodyguard at my right.

"So that's why you go for these walks at night?" he asks, "to meet strange girls?"

I laugh, but don't say anything more. No, that isn't the reason, but if the middle of the night is the only time I can see her, then I'll be right here waiting.


End file.
